Only His Worst Nightmare
by LavenderLimmerick
Summary: Pete is living his worst nightmare... Or could it all just be a dream? Angsty into Sweetness. Bear with me with the tearjerker beginning, it's worth it for the cute.
1. His Worst Nightmare

It all happened in a split second.

One minute Myka was beside him, holding a Tesla on their latest suspect, the next she was on the ground. Pete hadn't seen a flash. He hadn't seen movement. Nothing. It was what he heard. The man on the other end of their Teslas laughed. A deep throaty laugh that fueled an anger inside him like he had never felt before. He shot without thinking and the man collapsed. He spun around and immediately dropped to his knees. The sight before him terrified him. His partner was shaking so severely he wondered how it was even possible.

"Myka, talk to me, how can I help?" he asked franticly. He reached for her hands, trying to weigh her down and stop her shaking.

"Pete." He heard her whimper "Help me."

Her words were broken, hollow. She was dying. The vibe was so intense he felt lightheaded. Tears rushed into his eyes and he yelled.

"No Myka! You are not leaving me like this!" He pinned her hands against the concrete and the shakes seemed to slow. Her eyes opened. He almost let lose a sob at the sight of her eyes. They seemed frosted over, like she was a million miles away. The convulsions had stopped and it was only now he noticed her labored breathing.

"Myka, don't. Please Myka. Don't go." He managed say, barely keeping the tears from falling. He sounded like a child pleading for his mother but he didn't care. He couldn't lose her. What had started off as an awkward partnership had evolved into something that consumed his every thought. Myka made him smile, made him laugh. When he thought he was utterly alone in this world, Myka had unknowingly stepped into the role of best friend. He had always been a ladies man but that didn't mean he knew what love was. Quite the opposite. Sure, he had known romance, but love was something completely different. He heard Myka pull in a deep labored breath.

"Pete, I'm okay. I don't hurt." She managed between gasps. He didn't believe her for a second.

"Myka, don't you talk like that. You're gonna be fine." He said as the first tears slid down his face. Myka gave him a weak smile.

"Don't lie Pete." Her voice was softer, and he knew she was slipping.

"Myka I can't do it, I can't be here without you." He paused to brush his hand over her cheek. "Myka I love you." The words spilled out of him. Never had those exact words gone through his mind, but in that second, nothing had ever been more true. He needed her. He squeezed her hand lightly. She seemed fragile as if the lightest touch might break her. Already his Myka was leaving.

"Pete." This time his name was barely a whisper across her lips. She opened her eyes for him one last time and they said everything. They had always been like windows into the real Myka. All she was contained in her eyes: her laugh, her tears, her love. In that look they said goodbye. Pete pulled Myka into his arms and held her as her chest stilled and her eyes closed. Sobs escaped his lips. It was his worst nightmare come true. Pete heard a voice calling to him and it took a moment for him to stop his tears long enough to hear who it belonged to. When he identified the voice he cried even harder. It was hers.

"Pete!"

He sobbed harder. All he could hope was that this meant he was dying, headed to heaven to be with her.

"Pete!"

Pete woke up sweating with his beautiful partner leaning over him. His heart was racing but her confused look was so adorable he did the thing he wanted to do without thought. He reached up with both arms and tackled Myka in a hug.

"Hello to you too Pete." Myka said, her arms coming up lightly to wrap around him. She was worried, that much he could tell from her voice and actions. No way Myka hugs him without reason. She tried to pull back but Pete held her close, intoxicated by her smell. "Pete, are you alright?" She asks hesitantly.

"Am now." He said, finally releasing her and giving her a grin. Myka didn't smile.

"Pete, what were you dreaming of? I woke up to screaming and walked in here to find you thrashing on the bed. It really freaked me out…" She added the last part quietly, almost ashamed at showing that much emotion. Pete moved his fingers to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. She shivered but still managed to shoot him a glare.

"You. It was awful…" A pained look flickered across his features. Myka's heart ached for him and beneath that something she wasn't ready to talk about just yet.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" She asked softly, surprising Pete by not reprimanding him for touching her.

"You died." He whispered. Myka didn't wait for him to touch her this time. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tight. She could sense his surprise in the way his body tensed then relaxed.

"Didn't think you could get rid of me that easy? Nah, I think you might be stuck with me." She said. Pete couldn't see her smile but he didn't need to, he could hear it in her voice.

"Thanks Myka." He wanted to tell her what he had in the dream, but somehow, the words just wouldn't come.

"No problem Pete." She wanted to mention that little tickle she had felt in her heart earlier, but somehow, it died on her lips. With a boyish grin Pete leapt to his feet. He presented his hand to Myka with a flourish.

"Shall we go and eat some cookies my lady?" He asked in a ridiculous English accent. She laughed and took his hand.

"I believe we shall." The two rose laughing and headed out the bedroom door. Pete cast a glance back into his bedroom. The dream was painful and he was sure it would not be the last, but with Myka beside him, Pete could face anything. As they walked arm in arm, he silently told her what he had in the dream. And just at that moment, she smiled.


	2. Her Worst Nightmare

_Hey, sorry this took so long… My muse has just up and left me recently and I have been on quite the search to get it back. Thanks for all the reviews! This chapter got a little dark but I think it makes it better… Please stick with it for the sweetness! There are some spoilers for recent episodes, be warned! :)_

Myka sat on the couch watching some mindless TV, she needed it. The last case had been hard on all of them. Her first instinct had been to grab Pete and go into town for some ice cream or dinner but he had been acting odd lately. He seemed distant and was always taking little breaks. She was worried. After her scare a few months ago with the telegraph, she had become hyper aware of Pete's behavior. She wanted to make sure she knew if something went wrong. Myka was 90% sure something was. She shook her head as if to shake off the bad thoughts. Pete would tell her if he was in trouble. Hearing footsteps, she immediately turned her head. There was Pete with a faded Dartmouth t-shirt and lop-sided grin. She smiled back. Maybe nothing was wrong after all…

Only when he sat down could she smell the alcohol.

At first she was so shocked she couldn't speak, but that quickly wore off and turned into concern. "Pete, have you been drinking?" she asked, leaning forward to smell him. He pulled away, smile disappearing off his face.

"That's none of your damn business Myka." He replied angrily. She leaned closer and the scent of alcohol intensified. She felt hands on her shoulder and before she knew what was happening Pete threw her across the couch. The coffee table collided with her head and she felt a soft trickle down her cheek. Myka froze. Pete had just laid his hands on her.

"Pete." She started, unsure of what she was going to say after that. He got up and turned to leave and she stood up ready to follow. "Why are you doing this?" She finally said. Pete didn't flinch. "Why are you throwing it all away again?" Myka watched Pete for a reaction, anything. She had to reach him. He spun around and what she saw in his eyes terrified her more than any artifact or bad guy ever had. Sheer rage aimed directly at her. He flew across the room in what seemed like record time. Her body couldn't react. The first punch hit her stomach and she stumbled backwards screaming. She could feel the bruise it would leave. Before she could even stand back up, he grabbed her shoulder and threw her against the wall.

"Help!" she screamed. This couldn't be Pete. That's what she kept telling herself, even as the hits kept raining down.

"Myka!" She heard her name but it didn't register. She let the first sob escape her lips. She started spewing off her final words, everything she wanted to say but couldn't.

"Claudia, you are like the little sister I never had." Punch.

"Myka!"

"Artie, no matter what you think, you're a great father figure." Punch.

"Myka!"

"Pete, I love you." No punch.

Myka awoke to her partner with his hands on her shoulders, wild-eyed. She immediately shook him off. It was still the dream. He was still hitting her. She scrambled as far away from him as she could get.

"Myka, it was just a dream. Your ok." He said reaching out a hand. Her whole body was shaking and she had absolutely no idea what to think. "Myka, you're here, in your bedroom. Safe and sound." The look in his eyes was confused and worried. She finally believed she was out of the dream. Myka took his hand and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Pete, it was awful." She barely whispered, struggling to keep the tears at bay. "It all felt so real…" He rubbed circles into her back and just his warmth was soothing.

"Shhhh. You don't have to talk about it." She pulled back and a lone tear fell down her face.

"I do Pete. You told me yours." She studied her fingers as she began. "You were…." She paused and another tear fell. "Drinking again." She felt Pete's hand reach for hers. Now she was hurting both of them but she had to get it out. "You… You hit me. I told you that you were throwing it all away… and you lost it." She finally looked up and Pete's eyes were filled with tears.

"Myka, I would never hit you. I would die before I hit you." Pete managed. He didn't want to cry in front of her but he was so upset that he could cause her pain, even in her dreams.

"I know that Pete. I know." She looked into his eyes and saw something there, beneath the utter brokenness that defined them at that moment. Maybe what she heard him say during his dream was true… Could he really love her?

They must have looked like quite the pair, sitting together in the almost dark. Tears streamed down both faces and their hands lay intertwined between them. To Myka, Pete had never before been quite so open, quite so sincere. To Pete, Myka had never been more quite so raw, quite so beautiful. He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and she closed her eyes. His hand felt so warm on her cold skin. Without thought, Pete leaned forward and laid the sweetest, shortest kiss Myka had ever received. She opened her eyes to find his peering at her nervously. She leaned forward and closed the distance. Pete wrapped his arms around her and she had never felt more at home. Tears not even dry, the darkness surrounding them, they found each other. Myka pulled back and laid her head on his shoulder. This would change so much… But she didn't want to think about that now. The nightmare still seemed fresh but when something Artie said drifted into her head, it brought out a full on grin.

_Everything happens for a reason. _


End file.
